Exciting news has recently arrived. POSCO has signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with JSW Steel, India’s leading steelmaker, to construct an integrated steel mill. Grounded in a robust partnership, this collaboration aims to target high-profit markets in India and further strengthen the global steel supply chain. How did POSCO and JSW Steel come to join hands? Here is the behind-the-scenes story of this monumental partnership.

POSCO Signs Joint Venture Agreement with India’s Leading Steelmaker, JSW Steel

▲ POSCO signed a Joint Venture Agreement with JSW Steel, India’s No. 1 steelmaker, on the 20th to build an integrated steel mill. (From right) Chang In Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS; Lee Hee-guen, President of POSCO; Jayant Acharya, CEO of JSW Steel; and Sajjan Jindal, Chairman of JSW Group.

POSCO has officially embarked on constructing an integrated steel mill in India—a high-growth market with a population of 1.46 billion—by signing a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA)* with JSW Steel, the nation’s top steelmaker. The joint venture will be established on an equal partnership basis, with both companies holding a 50% stake each.

The new blast furnace-based integrated steel mill** will feature a comprehensive production system covering both upstream and downstream processes—including ironmaking, steelmaking, hot rolling, and cold rolling/galvanizing—capable of producing high-value-added premium steel. With an annual crude steel capacity of 6 million tons, the plant will be located in the state of Odisha,
securing a site adjacent to iron ore mines with excellent logistics, power, and infrastructure. Construction is projected to take 48 months from groundbreaking, with completion targeted for 2031.

* Joint Venture Agreement (JVA): A form of direct investment where a company partners with local capital to jointly operate and manage a business.
* Integrated Steel Mill: A steel plant equipped with all production stages, including ironmaking (producing molten iron), steelmaking (removing impurities), and rolling (manufacturing finished steel products).

A Perfect Match: How POSCO and JSW Group Share a Common DNA

In India, JSW Group enjoys a level of public recognition and influence comparable to POSCO in Korea, operating across a diverse range of business sectors. Just as POSCO runs professional football clubs like the Pohang Steelers and Jeonnam Dragons, JSW Group boasts immense financial power and cultural influence, even owning the Delhi Capitals, a team in India’s highly popular professional cricket league.

Notably, a special bond forged during a time of crisis connects the two companies. In 2022, Typhoon Hinnamnor caused severe flooding at Pohang Works, submerging key facilities. At that critical juncture, JSW Group generously offered POSCO a set of equipment they had ordered for their own hot rolling mill. This noble gesture significantly expedited the restoration of Pohang’s No. 2 Hot Rolling Mill, serving as a cornerstone for deep mutual trust between the two groups.

▲ (From left) POSCO Founder Park Tae-joon, JSW Group Founder O.P. Jindal (Photo credit: POSCO Group Newsroom DB, Wikimedia)

Beyond a mere business partnership, POSCO and JSW Group share deep-rooted commonalities in their founding spirits and management philosophies. JSW Group’s founder, Om Prakash Jindal (O.P. Jindal), dedicated his life to India’s industrialization. This closely mirrors the philosophy of Jecheol-boguk (제철보국, “Patriotism through Steelmaking”) championed by POSCO’s late founder and Honorary Chairman, Park Tae-joon, which emphasizes serving the nation by producing high-quality steel. O.P. Jindal’s famous vision, “Where others saw walls, he saw doors,” strongly resonates with POSCO’s indomitable “Woo-hyang-woo” (Right-turn) spirit*, which overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles through sheer determination.

* “Woo-hyang-woo” (Right-turn) Spirit: An indomitable spirit of challenge demonstrated by Honorary Chairman Park Tae-joon during the construction of Pohang Works. He motivated his team by saying, “If we fail to build this steelworks, which is funded by claims-settlement funds from Japan, we must all turn right (‘woo-hyang-woo’) and drown ourselves in the waters of Yeongil Bay,” burning all bridges to ensure success.

Sajjan Jindal, the current Chairman of JSW Group, was deeply inspired during his past visits to POSCO’s Pohang Works and Gwangyang Works, harboring a dream to “build a world-class steelworks like this in India.” In fact, JSW’s flagship Vijayanagar Steelworks was constructed with a layout and neighboring residential complexes remarkably similar to those of POSCO’s works.
Through years of accumulated trust and mutual respect, POSCO and JSW Group have finally joined hands as true partners to pioneer the future of the Indian steel market.

Why India? A High-Growth Market Driven by a Young Population

Why did POSCO choose the Indian market? While there are various reasons—such as a landmass 33 times larger than South Korea and a population exceeding 1.4 billion—the primary driver is the projected surge in steel demand. Growing at a rapid pace of nearly 6% to 7% annually, India is currently recognized as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.

Having surpassed China in population two years ago, India boasts a massive market scale. Notably, the median age of India’s population is exceptionally young at 28. This youthful demographic is a key driver that injects vitality into the consumer market and heightens its future growth potential.

The rising purchasing power of India’s younger generation is driving development across various industries. The automotive sector, in particular, is expanding rapidly. Currently ranking fourth globally in vehicle production, India’s automotive industry is growing so fast that it is expected to climb to third place in the near future. Additionally, the home appliance market—where Korean giants like Samsung and LG have a strong presence—is seeing increased demand due to rising income levels. In the construction sector, active development of new smart cities is also driving a steady increase in steel consumption.

Specifically, India’s steel demand, which stood at 90 million tons in 2015, has surged to 150 million tons in 2024, and is projected to reach 260 million tons by 2035. Today, India stands as the world’s largest steel market, second only to China.

Supporting this explosive demand is India’s abundance of natural resources. India ranks seventh globally in iron ore reserves (approximately 35 billion tons) and possesses rich reserves of coking coal, offering a significant advantage in raw material procurement. This resource wealth serves as a powerful springboard for India to achieve complete self-sufficiency in the steel industry and sustain long-term growth.

To Go Far, Go Together: Why POSCO and JSW Steel Joined Forces

Why did POSCO choose to enter India through a Joint Venture (JV)? Since 2004, POSCO had explored entering India’s upstream steelmaking sector on four separate occasions. However, these attempts faced hurdles, such as finding the right partner and securing land. The Indian market proved highly challenging for foreign enterprises to navigate independently. Drawing from these experiences, POSCO concluded that partnering with a strong local player was the most viable path forward.

In this regard, JSW Steel, India’s top steelmaker, was the perfect partner. JSW Steel has demonstrated remarkable growth in a short span, scaling its crude steel production from 2.2 million tons in 2005 to over 30 million tons today.

The foundation of any joint venture is trust. Reflecting this, the joint venture is structured as an equal partnership with a 50:50 shareholding split. This structure embodies a shared commitment to building the world’s finest steel mill by combining POSCO’s world-class technology with JSW Steel’s market leadership and local execution capabilities.

Amid rising global protectionism, the Indian government has also tightened measures to protect its domestic market. To safeguard its local steel industry, India has strengthened regulations on domestic production and mandated standard certifications for imported steel. Under these circumstances, the decision to form a joint venture with JSW Steel represents a proactive, strategic move to successfully navigate and establish a strong foothold in the Indian market.

There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” In line with this wisdom, POSCO plans to combine its innovative steelmaking technology with JSW Group’s formidable local competitiveness, paving the way to make substantial contributions to the industrial development and economic growth of both nations.

CES 2026, the world’s largest technology trade show, has come to a close—and this year, one theme stood out above all others: robots. From humanoids and quadrupeds to sports and healthcare applications, robotics was everywhere on the show floor, signaling that the era of Physical AI—where AI and robotics come together in the real world—is quickly taking shape.

With Jae-bum Park, Senior Researcher at POSCO Research Institute, we look at what CES 2026 revealed about the future of robotics and where POSCO Group’s strengths could create new opportunities in this fast-growing industry.

Powering the Energy Transition: Robots Were Everywhere at CES 2026

At this year’s CES, robots were impossible to miss. Even in booths hosted by companies not traditionally associated with robotics, robot-related technologies appeared throughout the exhibition. The message was clear: AI-powered robots are moving beyond demonstrations and entering everyday life and industrial environments.

One of the most talked-about exhibits was Atlas, the humanoid robot presented by Boston Dynamics, Hyundai Motor Group’s robotics affiliate. Equipped with 56 degrees of freedom (DoF), Atlas demonstrated highly flexible movement and the ability to handle heavy-duty tasks involving loads of more than 50 kilograms—offering a glimpse of its potential in real industrial settings.

The exhibition also introduced a collaboration case involving POSCO and Boston Dynamics. On screen, Spot, Boston Dynamics’ quadruped robot, was shown moving through high-temperature facilities at a POSCO steelworks. In a noisy and heat-intensive environment, Spot was able to detect gas leaks and carry out precise inspections of equipment and infrastructure. The scene offered a compelling look at how robots are evolving from crowd-pleasing exhibits into reliable co-workers on industrial sites.

Another exhibit that drew attention came from Korean company Bodyfriend, which showcased a massage chair designed to feel almost like wearing a robotic suit. Its wearable AI healthcare robot, with independently moving arms and legs, attracted strong interest for its ability to analyze and stretch the user’s joints.

Robots were also making an impact in sports. Table tennis robots and combat robots once again proved popular with visitors, while sports robots introduced by Chinese companies such as Unitree and others showed just how far the technology has advanced. Some were able to analyze an opponent’s movements and track the trajectory of a ball in real time, providing highly detailed coaching.

Degrees of Freedom: What Makes Robot Movement More Sophisticated

As CES 2026 made clear, robot movement is becoming increasingly refined as technology advances. One term that many robotics companies use when discussing precision and flexibility is DoF, or Degree of Freedom. In simple terms, DoF refers to the number of joint axes a robot can move or control.

Generally speaking, the higher the DoF, the more independently controllable joints a robot has. This is particularly important for humanoid robots, which are expected to move in ways that resemble the human body. Industrial robot arms used in automated manufacturing processes typically have around 6 DoF, while humanoid robots usually range from 30 to 60 DoF. With 56 DoF, Boston Dynamics’ Atlas is close to the level required to mimic full-body human joint movement.

That said, increasing DoF also means adding more components such as motors, reducers, and sensors. In other words, the more sophisticated the movement, the higher the production cost. That is why robotics companies carefully design and allocate DoF based on each robot’s purpose and application.

Why Actuators Matter

An actuator is the drive unit that physically moves a robot’s joints. It can be understood as a complete joint system that combines a motor, reducer, sensor, and control circuit.

A motor on its own produces rotational motion. But for a robot arm to extend in a straight line or bend with precision, rotational movement alone is not enough. By integrating gears and electronic controls, an actuator enables more complex forms of motion, including both rotational and linear movement. If a motor is like a muscle cell, an actuator is the complete muscular joint that allows a limb to move in a controlled way.

For a humanoid robot with 56 DoF, roughly 56 precision actuators are needed.

Why Hyper NO Matters in the Age of Robotics

Electrical steel is also a critical material in motor manufacturing, accounting for roughly 20% to 30% of total motor production cost. This is especially important in robot motors, which must generate high output despite their compact size. In many cases, the performance of the electrical steel used inside the motor directly affects the motor’s overall efficiency and output.

To achieve better performance, the steel sheet must be made as thin as possible. If it is too thick, eddy currents* can form inside the material, causing energy loss in the form of heat.

*Eddy currents are swirling electric currents generated by electromagnetic induction when the magnetic field around a conductor changes rapidly.

POSCO’s high-performance electrical steel, Hyper NO, is designed to maximize magnetic performance even at extremely thin, paper-like thicknesses. The thinner electrical steel becomes, the more difficult it is to manufacture. In fact, only about five to six steelmakers worldwide, including POSCO, are capable of stably mass-producing electrical steel at the Hyper NO level. That makes it a strategic material with high technological barriers to entry—and an increasingly important one in the era of robotics and electrification.

Energy and Materials Will Help Power the Humanoid Robot Era

No matter how advanced a robot’s movement may be, it cannot function properly without enough energy. Today, humanoid robots typically operate continuously for only about two to four hours, making battery technology one of the biggest limiting factors in the industry.

At CES 2026, swappable battery systems emerged as a notable trend aimed at addressing that limitation. Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, for example, is known to operate continuously for around four hours, and it is even equipped with a function that allows it to replace its own battery when power runs low.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently predicted that there could be 10 billion humanoid robots within 25 years. If production reaches that scale, demand for actuators would rise into the hundreds of billions, making growth in demand for high-performance electrical steel almost inevitable. Once replacement demand is taken into account, the number of batteries required could also reach into the tens of billions.

This would also drive a sharp increase in demand for lithium, one of the key raw materials used in batteries. From this perspective, POSCO Group’s high-performance electrical steel technology and lithium assets are likely to draw growing attention as the robotics market continues to expand.

As robotics moves closer to real-world adoption, the future of the industry will depend not only on software and AI, but also on the materials and energy technologies that make advanced movement possible. In that future, POSCO Group is well positioned to play an important role.

As competition to develop all-solid-state battery technology has become more intense worldwide, POSCO Group is also actively researching and developing raw and key materials for all-solid-state batteries. POSCO N.EX.T Hub is where R&D is carried out. So! Announcer Hyun-jung Choi went to POSCO N.EX.T Hub Senior researcher Oh-min Kwon, an expert in all-solid-state batteries, and talked about all-solid-state batteries, which become more fascinating as you learn more about them. Anyone curious about the all-solid-state battery core material business that the POSCO Group is preparing should pay close attention. It starts right now!

What is the difference between all-solid-state batteries and lithium-ion batteries?

Do you know what type of rechargeable battery is most commonly used in electric vehicles today? It is a lithium-ion battery. Among the components of lithium-ion batteries, the electrolyte, which helps lithium ions move smoothly between the cathode and anode, is made of liquid. Since the liquid electrolyte contains a flammable organic solvent, there is a high risk of fire or explosion in high-temperature environments or external impact situations.

The separator acts as a shield that prevents direct contact between the cathode and anode, and the lithium-ion battery separators are made of polymer, which is the main material of vinyl bags that we see everywhere in our daily lives. Just as vinyl bags shrink and disappear when heated, the lithium-ion battery separator can also be damaged when heated, and it causes a short circuit* between the cathode and anode.

*Short circuit: A phenomenon in which two points in an electric circuit are connected due to poor insulation between the two points

All-solid-state batteries replace the liquid electrolytes used in conventional lithium-ion batteries with a solid electrolyte. Unlike the polymer separator of a lithium-ion battery, which is made of polymer with low rigidity, the solid separator is made of ceramics with high rigidity. Moreover, it is non-volatile and has a high flash point, so it maintains its shape well even when heated, which keeps it safe from fire.

Improved safety simplifies the heat management system, such as the external case or cooling device in the battery, so it features higher energy density in the battery pack unit. Improved energy density can significantly increase the range of electric vehicles driving on a single charge. In addition, it makes it possible to use materials such as lithium metal anodes, silicon anodes, and silver/carbon nanocomposite anodes, which were previously unusable due to high risk in lithium-ion batteries. The energy density is expected to increase by nearly 10 times compared to existing graphite anode materials. That explains why all-solid-state batteries have become the next-generation batteries for the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to electric vehicles.

For those who cannot understand by explanation alone, Senior researcher Kwon brought all-solid-state battery samples produced by the POSCO Group and conducted a performance test. First, before we see the results! Let’s look at the specifications of POSCO Group’s all-solid-state batteries more closely.

Specifications of POSCO Group’s all-solid-state batteries

He connected the cathode and anode to a battery that looked like a thin piece of paper at first glance, made it light up, and then cut the surface of the battery with scissors. Will the light still be on even if it is cut?

Like magic, the light does not go out even when the battery is cut in half. The secret behind this is that the solid electrolyte of the all-solid-state battery, with high rigidity, acts as a separator and remains intact even with external shocks. If the inside of the battery was filled with a liquid electrolyte, the separator would have been damaged and caused the electrolyte to leak and be oxidized, and the battery would eventually stop functioning properly. That is why everyone recognizes all-solid-state batteries to be the next-generation battery leader.

So, what are the types of solid electrolytes for all-solid-state batteries? The solid electrolytes used in all-solid-state batteries are divided into three types: sulfide, polymer, and oxide. Sulfide solid electrolytes have the highest potential for commercialization in electric vehicles since their relatively soft characteristics form a wide interface between the electrode and electrolyte, resulting in high lithium-ion conductivity. Therefore, it has gained the attention of many companies worldwide.

Three key raw materials are needed to make a solid electrolyte: lithium sulfide, phosphorus pentasulfide, and lithium chloride. These three raw materials are mixed evenly to form an argyrodite (a rare mineral of silver, germanium, and sulfur) by synthesis. What is important is for the synthesis to form the appropriate solid electrolyte particle size. The solid electrolyte is completed by controlling the particle size through the crushing* and disintegration** processes.

*Crushing: The process of breaking a solid object into small pieces
**Disintegration: The process of separating clumped particles into the original individual particles

Status of POSCO Group’s all-solid-state battery material business

Did you know that POSCO Group is focusing its business on sulfide solid electrolytes to take a leading position in the all-solid-state battery market? POSCO Holdings is developing high-ion conductive materials and technology to form moisture-stable solid electrolytes. The internal testing of the prototype showed that it can achieve a battery performance equivalent to that of lithium-ion batteries.

In February 2022, it acquired a 40% equity share of Jeongkwan Co., Ltd., a display material and part specialist, to establish a joint venture called POSCO JK Solid Solutions, and completed the construction of a factor capable to producing 24 tons of sulfide-based solid electrolyte per year. The plant recently applied a new process technology and is preparing a phased expansion of the production capacity to 7,200 tons. It is currently conducting an all-solid-state battery test with various customers.

▲POSCO Group’s lithium production demonstration plant and brine storage facility in Argentina.

POSCO Group is the only Korean company that produces lithium brine, ore, hydroxide, and carbonate. Moreover, POSCO Group is actively researching and developing high-value-added lithium compounds. Since lithium compounds such as lithium sulfide and lithium chloride are essential to produce solid electrolytes, POSCO Group, which has lithium production infrastructure, is considered to have considerable competitiveness in the sulfide-based electrolyte business.

All-solid-state batteries will overcome the limitations of lithium-ion batteries, and solid electrolyte is their key material. In addition to solid electrolytes, POSCO Group also has the competitiveness to mass-produce lithium metal anode materials, which are important materials for all-solid-state batteries. With our differentiated competitiveness, we plan to leap forward as an innovative company in the rapidly changing rechargeable battery material market. If you want to know more, please watch the full version of the video on YouTube.

▼Check out POSCO Group’s solid electrolyte technology competitiveness in the video!

Save your valuable time. Watch a short version of a long YouTube video in just 3 minutes! In this article, we will introduce POSCO DX’s Robot Automation Center. Shall we listen to the story of POSCO DX Robot Automation Center, which is establishing safe and productive industrial sites by applying industrial robots to high-risk and high-intensity sites?

There are many dangerous and difficult processes at industrial sites. POSCO Group, the largest steel company in Korea, makes molten steel in a blast furnace with temperatures above 1,000℃, removes impurities, and produces high-quality steel with its own recipe. Due to the nature of this work, the company needs engineers with advanced know-how accumulated over 20 to 30 years.

However, a large number of highly skilled workers who have played an active role in the field are about to retire. That number is 7.4 million, accounting for 25% of the economically active population. As a result, companies are increasingly demanding industrial robots that reflect the technical know-how of veteran employees.

POSCO DX is particularly distinguished in the industrial robot market. Now, let’s take a look at the POSCO DX Robot Automation Center and the robot business!

The new POSCO DX Robot Automation Center established earlier this year is an organization that operates robot engineering in manufacturing and logistics as well as software technology for very dangerous and high-intensity work in steel mills based on its know-how at industrial sites. It is spurring the spread of AI robots at industrial sites to create a safe work environment.

Steel mills are considered representative high-risk sites because they handle molten steel. If they are automated with robots, safe work sites can be established. If robots are used in dangerous sites and people are assigned to other places, work productivity will naturally improve.

POSCO DX is becoming an “intelligent factory” powerhouse, automating everything from manufacturing to winning orders and sales beyond a smart factory! Let’s take a closer look at the examples POSCO DX has applied in the field.

① Dross Removal Robot

POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks No. 4 Plating Plant has a process for covering the surface of steel with zinc. In this case, when high-temperature zinc and the steel plate come into contact, a foreign substance called dross* is formed and the process will go smoothly only when this is removed at the right time. However, the zinc plating pot containing boiling hot zinc reaches temperatures around 460℃.
*Dross: Waste material formed when high-temperature zinc and steel plates come into contact.

Now, instead of people, dross removal robots constantly remove dross from the surface of the hot zinc plating pot in the field. In No. 4 Plating Plant, workers are usually in the operating room, and robots take care of the dangerous sites. Prior to the introduction of robots, a team consisting of four workers manually skimmed off foreign substances 10 times a day.

② Band Cutter Automation Robot

In addition, POSCO DX, along with Pohang Steelworks, pushed for the automation of the band cutter in the cold rolling process.

The coils produced in the rolling process of steel materials are thin and bound by bands and shipped to each plant in the form of rolls so that they do not unravel as they move. To perform reprocessing, the band binding the coil has to be removed, but at this time, the band may bounce off and injure workers.

To prevent such safety accidents, POSCO DX introduced the band cutter automation robot. This robot is expected to be expanded further since it can be applied not only to the rolling process but also to the stainless steel and electrical steel production processes.

③ Saggar Robot

Furthermore, POSCO DX is strengthening cooperation with the POSCO Future M Gwangyang cathode materials plant, which produces rechargeable battery materials.

They applied a robot automation system to replace a saggar, a refractory container for baking cathode materials. Saggar is contained in lithium and baked, and corrodes easily, so it must be replaced regularly, but the work intensity is high due to the large quantity.

However, POSCO Future M detected waste saggar with X-rays and POSCO DX automated the work of replacing the detected waste saggar with new saggar, reducing worker fatigue and performing the work more efficiently! POSCO DX and POSCO Future M are also closely collaborating to apply this automation system to the Pohang NCA cathode materials plant.

④ Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) and AGV Control System (ACS)

POSCO DX’s robot technology was introduced to the POSCO Fulfillment Center in Gwangyang, which was completed this year.

POSCO DX has introduced robots from various manufacturers that play different roles in the field, and applied ACS* solutions for the integrated management of collaboration between robots and task assignments. ACS is a system that assigns a tasks to an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) or an Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR), and creates the optimal route so they do not collide with each other. This system was jointly developed with Daim Research.
*AGV Control System (ACS): A system that controls the traffic of multiple unmanned transport devices.

In addition, POSCO Future M is increasing the capacity of cathode material production and automating raw material transport by using unmanned transport robots. This project is now underway in Pohang, Gwangyang, and Quebec City.

POSCO DX plans to become a leading company in improving safety and productivity by providing industrial robot solutions not only to POSCO Group but also to various high-intensity and high-risk sites. Please keep an eye on POSCO DX, which will grow into a company specializing in intelligent factories beyond smart factories based on its creative robot technologies!

▼Meet the POSCO DX Robot Automation Center through video!↓

Save your valuable time. Watch a short version of a long YouTube video in just 3 minutes! In this episode, we will learn about the traction motor core, which is considered the heart of electric vehicles along with rechargeable batteries and take a look at the global market competitiveness of POSCO INTERNATIONAL and POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION, both of which have emerged as leaders, along with major automobile companies worldwide, as materials suppliers for the future mobility industry. Let’s meet them!

As the automobile market paradigm is rapidly changing with a focus on electric and hydrogen vehicles, rechargeable batteries and traction motor cores, core components of electric vehicles, are in the spotlight. Accordingly, POSCO Group is expanding its position in the global eco-friendly vehicle market by making notable achievements in cathode/anode materials, which are core materials of rechargeable batteries, and traction motor core businesses. For the traction motor core business, POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION, POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s 100% subsidiary, is responsible for production, while POSCO INTERNATIONAL carries out marketing for domestic and overseas customers.

Rechargeable batteries are generally well-known. However, although driving motor cores have attracted great interest, many people are not sure what they are exactly or how they work. So today, three experts from POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION gathered to answer your questions about traction motor cores. A story about traction motor cores that you can’t find anywhere else! Let’s start now.

What is the traction motor core that is in the spotlight these days?

First, motor cores are parts used in devices that require rotational movement. They are used in electrical components, such as wipers, sunroofs, and steering systems, that provide convenient features for automobiles, as well as home appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, and vacuum cleaners.

Traction motor cores are next-generation motor cores with additional advanced technology. They are the key part of the drive motors used in eco-friendly vehicles such as electric and hybrid vehicles. They convert electrical energy into kinetic energy to move electric vehicles. If you compare it to an internal combustion engine car, the drive motor is an engine, and the traction motor core is the core component of an engine!

So, how does a traction motor core drive an electric vehicle? A traction motor core consists of a stator^* stacked on the outside and a rotor^* on which the drive motor rotates. The core is made in different heights and sizes depending on the output structure, such as hybrid and pure electric vehicles. When electricity is transmitted to the copper wire inserted into the stator, a magnetic field is formed, and the permanent magnet inserted into the rotor reacts with the magnetic field and rotates to generate power, which is transmitted to the shaft^*, causing the vehicle to move.

*Stator: A fixed part in a generator or electric motor
*Rotor: A rotating part in components related to rotational motion, such as a generator or electric motor
*Shaft: A round bar-shaped mechanical part that transmits power through rotary or linear reciprocating motion

The traction motor core determines the efficiency of the car motor. As a result, it significantly affects the driving range and fuel efficiency of electric vehicles. Just as a vehicle cannot move without an engine, a traction motor core is a key component for an electric vehicle, and it is no exaggeration to say that an electric vehicle would be useless without a traction motor core. POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION manufactures such high-quality traction motor cores.

Why should global finished automobile manufacturers choose POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION?

Production of high-quality traction motor cores with its internally developed EM-free lamination technology

As the demand for high-performance, eco-friendly vehicles increases, so does the number of drive motors. While a vehicle used one drive motor in the past, a four-wheel drive vehicle nowadays has two or even four drive motors, increasing the number of traction motor cores, each contained in a drive motor. For example, the Hummer EV, a large pickup truck made by POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION’s customer GM, has three drive motors because of the requirement for high horsepower due to its heavy weight, and the Electric G-Class scheduled to be released by Mercedes-Benz is expected to have four traction motor cores. Therefore, the demand for traction motor cores will increase as the eco-friendly vehicle market expands, and the growth potential of POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION is also expected to higher.

POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION is investing heavily in improving the quality of traction motor cores to meet the market’s high expectations and demand. For example, it procures POSCO’s excellent non-oriented electrical steel sheets(Hyper NO)^* and uses them as the main material for producing motor cores. Moreover, it uses a proprietary lamination method developed by its mold research center to produce high-quality traction motor cores with maximum motor efficiency and performance.

*Non-oriented electrical steel sheet: Electrical steel sheet that has consistent magnetic characteristics in all directions and is mainly used for rotational parts such as generators and motors

EM-Free (Embo-Free) lamination technology is used, which involves inserting POSCO’s electrical steel plates into a press where a mold is installed and automatically applying a bond to a single sheet of core that is made by punching according to the design and stacking them in hundreds of layers. The stacked cores go through hardening and cooling processes to ensure high quality. They are extracted in a back pressure system and fastened to the shaft by inserting a permanent magnet into the rotor.

The final traction motor core is completed when they are assembled with the stators. The traction motor cores produced with these complex processes are laminated more than 10 times more tightly than the embossing (Embo) method, a conventional method of making embossed protrusions and inserting them into each other. As a result, they have the advantage of excellent quality with resistance to vibration and noise and excellent electrical characteristics.

POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTIONpossesses three core competitive strengths that enable it to steadily expand its position in the traction motor core market. The first is that, as mentioned earlier, it has world-class EM-Free technology based on its mold research center, which is considered the key to the motor core business and is the only one of its kind in Korea. It also has unrivaled development capabilities and manufacturing competitiveness. It plans to secure the best-quality manufacturing competitiveness with robot automation systems by continuously developing new technologies.

Second, it can stably supply materials through synergy with group affiliates. As the production of electric vehicles has increased, the demand for motor cores has also increased, resulting in a tight supply of electrical steel sheets. However, POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION has the advantage of smoothly supplying high-quality electrical steel sheets through POSCO. Moreover, it cooperates with POSCO Research Laboratories in material development, mass production, and stabilization.

Lastly, it has sales capabilities that use its infrastructure. POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION has extensive sales channels based on the global network of its parent company, POSCO INTERNATIONAL, and it also has marketing capabilities to enter international markets. POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION plans to continue its large-scale global expansion in the traction motor core business, which is a key component of electric vehicles, with these core competitive strengths.

Production system for more than 7 million units by 2030

POSCO MOBILITY SOLUTION is steadily building the traction motor core production network at home and abroad to strengthen competitiveness and continuously expand the business. The company plans to complete a 2 million unit production system, with 1 million units each in Cheonan and Pohang in Korea. The Cheonan plant is currently in full operation to produce 1 million units per year, and the Pohang plant built a new plant exclusively for producing 1 million traction motor cores in 2022 and is gradually increasing its production capability.

Overseas, it is also accelerating production by completing new plants in China and Mexico. The Chinese plant, which began mass production in the fourth quarter of last year, is expected to produce 1 million units annually. Moreover, its Mexican plant, which began construction in July 2022 and was completed in October 2023, plans to produce 1.5 million units to actively target the North American eco-friendly vehicle part market. It also plans to build a plant to produce 1 million units per year to meet the rapidly increasing demand for electric vehicles in North America, a plant to produce 1.2 million units per year in Poland for Europe, and a plant to produce 300,000 units in India to complete its global production base.

Orders are expected to increase actively as it builds additional plants worldwide. POSCO INTERNATIONAL plans to have a global production system with plants in Korea (Pohang and Cheonan), Mexico, Poland, China, and India by 2030 and expects to increase sales of traction motor cores to more than 7 million units per year. The company plans to secure a global market share of more than 10%.

It recently won orders for 1.03 million traction motor cores for electric vehicles that Hyundai and Kia Motors will manufacture locally in Europe for the first time from 2025 to 2034. It confirms the company’s plan to expand its eco-friendly mobile business domain to Europe. It will supply 550,000 and 480,000 traction motor cores to Hyundai and Kia Motors’ Turkey and Slovakia plants, respectively, through Hyundai Mobis Slovakia’s electric module plant.

POSCO INTERNATIONAL and MOBILITY SOLUTION aim to become the strongest players in the eco-friendly part market with unrivaled competitiveness in the traction motor core business area, which is the heart of electric vehicles! Please continue to support their rapid progress, which will continue to play a key role in the electric vehicle value chain!

▼Let’s learn about the traction motor core in a video. ↓

Save your valuable time. Watch a short version of a long YouTube video in just 3 minutes! In this episode, join us in discovering POSCO Group’s future roadmap as it emerges as a global top-tier player with the domestic production of cathode and anode materials, the key elements of rechargeable batteries.

POSCO has recently received widespread attention for its impressive growth and innovation in identifying future demand industries. In particular, POSCO Group has emerged as a formidable force both at home and abroad in cutting-edge technologies such as mobile devices, electric vehicles, solar panels, and renewable energy storage systems. In Korea, only POSCO Future M is producing both cathode and anode materials, which are important materials that determine rechargeable battery performance, and has established itself as one of the major suppliers of high-quality rechargeable battery materials and is producing both anode and cathode materials.

Today, let’s look at the future of batteries with Senior Researcher Park Jae-beom at the POSCO Research Institute, which is focusing on anode materials that influence battery lifespan and charging speed. Join us as we explore POSCO Group’s blueprint that will shape the future of batteries. Let’s begin now!

Graphite: the core mineral that shapes the performance of electric vehicle batteries

As nations worldwide intensify efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the traditional automotive industry is undergoing a profound metamorphosis. It is shifting away from its reliance on internal combustion engines, pivoting to the era of electric vehicles, and embracing eco-friendly energy sources. Rechargeable batteries are at the center of electric vehicle production. A rechargeable battery consists of four materials: a cathode, an anode, an electrolyte, and a separator. It is no exaggeration to say that the cathode material, which determines the driving distance of an electric vehicle by increasing the energy density, and the anode material, which affects the charging speed and life of the battery, determine the performance of rechargeable batteries.

Lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in electric vehicles, produce electricity with the chemical exchange of lithium ions between the cathode and anode. The anode stores and releases lithium ions received from the anode material. In other words, battery performance hinges on the anode’s performance, and its ability to efficiently store and release lithium ions directly affects energy density and charging speed. Recent emphasis has been placed on developing anodes with heightened energy density, swift charging capabilities, and robust durability, to match the importance given to cathodes.

The primary material of the anode is graphite, much like the substance found in everyday items such as pencil leads or mechanical pencil refills. Metal is also used as a production material for anode materials, but graphite-based anodes dominate the market due to their affordability and high stability, and account for approximately 90% of anode production. Therefore, the majority of anode materials currently used in the market are made of either natural or synthetic graphite.

Sole provider in Korea! POSCO Group produces both natural and synthetic graphite

Natural graphite is obtained from mines as graphite ore, crushed to remove impurities, and refined to increase its purity in a process known as beneficiation. The resulting raw graphite undergoes various processes to be shaped into spherical graphite. Spherical graphite is coated with pitch and subjected to high temperatures in a process called calcination. This coating serves to encapsulate the graphite surface and enables the battery to withstand high temperatures and improve charging and discharging efficiency. Finally, the graphite undergoes size grading and iron removal, culminating in the production of natural graphite anode material with a purity approaching 99.9%.

Artificial graphite, used as an anode material, is produced from coke, a byproduct of steel production, rather than directly mined from graphite. Coke undergoes purification to remove impurities, followed by high-temperature treatment, resulting in needle coke formation. The needle coke is then pulverized, subjected to high temperatures for graphitization, and undergoes coating and iron removal processes to produce artificial graphite anode material.

The naturally derived graphite anode material and the synthetic graphite anode material, produced by different manufacturing processes, complement each other. The natural graphite anode material offers the advantage of large lithium-ion storage capacity at a low cost, while the synthetic graphite anode material is advantageous in terms of lifespan, output, and stability. For these reasons, a majority of rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles use a combination of natural and synthetic graphite.

POSCO Future M is the only Korean company that produces both natural and synthetic graphite anode materials. Natural graphite is planned to be secured from the Mahenge and Molo mines in Tanzania and Madagascar, which are invested by POSCO Holdings and POSCO International, in addition to existing suppliers. Synthetic graphite, on the other hand, has been successfully localized with the procurement of raw materials, needle cokes, by its subsidiary, POSCO MC Materials. Furthermore, through R&D collaboration with POSCO Holdings, POSCO Future M has developed a low-expansion, long-life natural graphite anode material that combines the advantages of synthetic and natural graphite.

Recently, China, responsible for approximately 70% of global graphite production, announced plans to tighten control over its graphite exports. Amidst the electric vehicle market’s expansion, China’s recent announcement of full control over graphite exports has dealt a significant blow to battery manufacturers worldwide. This declaration comes at a time when the anode material sector is experiencing annual growth rates of more than 20%. While this poses challenges for battery manufacturers worldwide, POSCO Group’s competitive position in the battery market is increasingly noteworthy. POSCO has been strategically advancing its anode material business to bolster self-reliance and reduce reliance on China since 2010. In the future, POSCO Group is expected to enhance its supply chain capabilities in the anode material sector and increase production autonomy.

POSCO Group leads battery industry with “full portfolio” development

Establishing a production system for silicon anode materials with a capacity of 35,000 tons by 2030

POSCO Group’s strategy to strengthen battery performance with anode material technology is expected to continue to develop. With the global demand for high-performance electric vehicles, batteries also need high-performance materials, leading to increased attention to various anode materials. Among them, you can mention silicon anode materials.

Silicon anode material has a nearly tenfold higher capacity per unit weight compared to graphite-based alternatives, which has the advantage of innovatively increasing electric vehicle range and facilitating rapid charging. However, it comes with challenges. The higher cost and structural instability of silicon due to volume expansion during charge and discharge are significant obstacles to overcome.

Due to these technical challenges, silicon anode material is currently not used exclusively in electric vehicle batteries. Instead, it is blended with graphite-based anode materials at a ratio of 4-5%. Nevertheless, silicon anode material is gaining attention as a potential solution to improve electric vehicle driving range and charging performance. Some in the industry foresee increasing the proportion of silicon in anode materials from 5% to 30% by 2030 with the development of technologies that enhance material structure stability. The silicon anode material market is expected to grow at an annual rate of 34%.

Consequently, POSCO Group is strategically consolidating its research efforts internally to drive the development of a production ecosystem for silicon anode materials, the cornerstone of next-generation products. Within this framework, POSCO Holdings has established its subsidiary, POSCO Silicon Solution. Furthermore, with the combined expertise of POSCO N.EX.T Hub (Future Technology Research Institue) and POSCO Future M, the Group plans to work together to build a production infrastructure capable of yielding 35,000 tons of silicon anode materials by 2030.

Harnessing its infrastructure, it will mass-produce next-generation lithium metal anode materials

In addition to silicon anode material, which boasts more than 10 times the energy density of graphite, another promising next-generation anode material is lithium metal anode material, which is evaluated to have even greater potential. Lithium is the lightest metal on Earth and holds the key to substantially reducing battery weight. Lithium metal anodes are hailed as the pinnacle of the next-generation anode material market because of their potential to enhance the fuel efficiency of electric vehicles.

POSCO Group has an Argentine lithium brine, which is an ideal environment for extracting high-purity lithium with minimal impurities to use as an anode material. Furthermore, it has the world’s best lithium refining technology. In addition, the independent technology accumulated with roll-to-roll processing, which produces thin lithium layers with wider widths, provides an economical and efficient solution for lithium metal anode production. POSCO Group will steadily develop these technologies to become a company that produces economically feasible lithium metal anode materials for next-generation batteries.

▼ Check POSCO Group’s anode material production competitiveness in video ↓

POSCO Group has the infrastructure and strength to produce a wide range of electrode materials, including natural and synthetic graphite, low-expansion natural graphite, silicon anode materials, and lithium metal anodes. In the future, the Group aims to establish a full portfolio to lead the electrode materials market. Stay tuned for our continued growth and advancements!